Company Linked to Michael Lynn Sought to Buy Nursing Home for Asylum Seekers

Ribblesway Limited, a company central to a money-laundering investigation involving jailed solicitor Michael Lynn, sought to purchase a former nursing home to house asylum seekers. Court documents reveal Ribblesway, whose registered address is a Co Wicklow house where Lynn’s wife, Brid Murphy (52), lives, is under investigation by An Garda Síochána for potentially unaccounted stolen funds by Lynn.

Lynn (57) was jailed in December 2023 for 5½ years for stealing €18 million from six financial institutions. Ribblesway, incorporated in May 2021, bought the Wicklow house for €460,000 in December 2021. Its owner, John Holleran (62), who gave a character reference for Lynn, incorporated several Irish property investment companies around the same time.

Holleran claims Ribblesway entered a May 2023 agreement to buy the former Shannagh Bay Nursing Home in Bray for €2.8 million from Alan and Pauline Smith. A consultant's report suggested the home could generate €4-€4.5 million annually from the State for housing 90 asylum seekers, though a two-year cooling-off period applied. Ribblesway's High Court injunction application to prevent the sale of the Bray property by a receiver, Ken Tyrrell of PwC, was lodged after the property had already been sold in May 2025 for €2.65 million. The Smiths, BBF Capital Partners (who loaned money to the Smiths), and Tyrrell dispute Ribblesway’s claim of a binding deal.

Ribblesway’s bank account was frozen in June 2024 as part of the money-laundering investigation, which Holleran contests. He claims to have invested €1.4 million in Ribblesway. The company’s application for an interim injunction was initially struck out in February due to non-appearance but was conditionally restored in June, requiring Ribblesway to pay €23,000 in costs by July 22nd. The receiver and BBF are seeking €113,777 in costs.